There is known a tape cartridge wherein a magnetic tape wound around a pair of tape reels is frictionally driven by a drive belt. In the tape cartridge, the movement of the magnetic tape is guided by tape guides standing on a base plate. As is shown in FIG. 32, the tape guide of the tape cartridge comprises a shaft portion 101 which has an outer cylindrical surface serving as a tape running surface 101a, upper and lower flanges 102, 103 which are arranged on upper and lower ends of the shaft portion 101 to restrict upward and downward displacement of the magnetic tape (not shown) which is running on the tape running surface 101a, and a leg portion (pressfitted portion), 104 used for its standing. By press-fitting the leg portion 104 into a guide standing opening 106 formed in a base plate 105, the tape guide is stands on the base plate 105 for practical use.
In general, for production of the above-mentioned conventional tape guide, a cutting work is applied to a metal rod for shaping the shaft portion 101, the upper and lower flanges 102 and 103 and the leg portion 104, and then a polishing work is applied to the outer cylindrical surface of the shaft portion 101 for shaping a smoothed tape running surface 101a.
Since, as is described hereinabove, the above-mentioned conventional tape guide is produced by applying a cutting work to a metal rod for formation of the shaft portion 101, the upper and lower flanges 102 and 103 and then applying a polishing work to the outer cylindrical surface of the shaft portion 101 for formation of the tape running surface 101 a, the production has the following drawbacks.
(1) Because of interference by the upper and lower flanges 102 and 103, the work of polishing the outer surface of the shaft portion 101 is complicated, which causes an increase in cost of the tape guide.
(2) Because of the integrated structure, it is impossible to produce the shaft portion 101 and the upper and lower flanges 102, 103 of different materials. For example, an idea in which, for weight reduction of the tape guide, the upper and lower flanges 102 and 103 are produced of a plastic can not be practically carried out.
In order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, an idea may be thought out in which parts of the tape guide, which are the shaft portion 101 and the upper and lower flanges 102, 103, are separately produced and thereafter they are assembled into the tape guide. However, in this case, the work of assembling the parts and that of connecting the assembled tape guide to the base plate are complicated.
Thus, a tape cartridge which employs the tape guide having the above-mentioned drawbacks has the same drawbacks.
The present invention is provided for the purpose of solving the above-mentioned drawbacks.